Day 13

Tue. Sept 9 Cherry Gap Shelter to Clyde Smith Shelter 9 miles Weather: thunderstorms It thunderstormed all night, which is cool, but I didn't sleep well at all. A German lady showed up at 11pm waking all of us up. She then spent at least an hour cooking dinner and getting ready for bed. It wasn't that big of a deal, just a little annoying. They all woke up at 6:30. The one northbounder cooks by throwing a bunch of twigs in a pot fitted with a fan on the bottom and setting his cook pot on top. It was pretty cool, except that since it was raining, he did this inside the shelter, completely filling it with smoke. I got up after I could no longer breathe. I get on the trail and it turns to beautiful weather. I stopped at this old orchard to talk to the forest service workers cutting the grass. There was a spring just down from where they were working, so I went to get water and eat some food. I get back moving and another thunderstorm rolls through. With four miles till the next shelter, I was stuck hiking on top of a ridge through a downpour. Eventually I made it to this shelter. After 15min of resting the sky decides to open up. It was thundering all over the place and I was under the loudest tin roof I've ever heard. I have another 6.4 miles to the shelter I was planning to stay in, but I'm just going to stay here. I'm not on any schedule so why hike through another thunderstorm? So, a south bounder just showed up with some wonderful news. There's evidently a shelter that's not on my map. I was planning on only 7 miles Friday, but now I can go about 15 between shelters that day. That way I end up not getting behind because of the rain today. Its things like that which can make you feel pretty good out here. All the plans are in order and it doesn't involve a big 20 mile day unless I want it to. Friday I plan to stay at a hostel south of Hampton, TN. I might be able to catch up with Shadow there. I wish I could check the weather to see when the rain is going to hit tomorrow. So a little update on my body. I've never had a huge appetite, but I stuff myself at every meal. For example, on meal I'm carrying is 4-cup packs of tourtillinni and can't finish the whole 900 calories in one sitting. But I try. My pants are sliding off my waist but I still have my beer-belly. It feels like my body is eating my unused muscles like my arms, abs, and chest more than it is my fat. My feet are doing great except that they are noticeably flattening out. I don't feel stronger or like I have more endurance. It's more like you just get used to the burn and ache instead of getting better at hiking. I would love to run 3 miles tomorrow to see what fitness level I'm really at. Sunday, I think I'm gonna try a marathon if the weather is nice. I was pretty close the other day. Eventually I'll figure out how to knock out a big day through the rain, but didn't today. It'll be a cold night up here. I'll stop rambling and go to bed. Night all! High: shelter buddy brought a radio! Low: hiking cold and wet